Since biblical integration is biblical, we need to think about the role of Scripture in the classroom. There will be much more discussion on the topic of the Bible on this site, but for now we want to note that the Bible provides us with the knowledge and orientation that we need to understand everything else. Peter says something about this in 2 Peter 1:3-9:
“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.” [emphasis added]
Our gracious God has provided all that we need for godly lives. How did He do this? Through the knowledge of Him that we have in his great and precious promises (Scripture). So, we must engage in Christian education: growing in faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection, and love.
The Bible is not a textbook, but it does provide what we need to think about all the information that might be contained in our textbooks. Scripture shows us what we need to know in order to interpret everything else in the world.
The idea of the sufficiency of Scripture is helpful here. There is a good article that helps us with what this means on Desiring God. In that article John Piper explains:
“The sufficiency of Scripture means that we don’t need any more special revelation. We don’t need any more inspired, inerrant words. In the Bible God has given us, we have the perfect standard for judging all other knowledge. All other knowledge stands under the judgment of the Bible even when it serves the Bible.”
Biblical integration, and the biblical worldview, rely on God’s Word to help us “judge all other knowledge.” God is the Author of truth and He is truth. And He has given us special revelation in the Bible to give us a way to understand the world (general revelation). How should we respond? “Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.” That is what Christian education is all about.
